CAA Signs Actor and ‘Find Your Friends’ Filmmaker Izabel Pakzad (EXCLUSIVE)

CAA has signed Iranian-Greek American filmmaker, writer and actress Izabel Pakzad for representation.

The signing comes as Pakzad’s feature directorial debut, “Find Your Friends,” is set to be released on Shudder on June 12. The thriller follows a group of friends (including Helena Howard, Bella Thorne, Chloe Cherry, Zion Moreno, Sophia Ali and Pakzad) as they dodge increasingly dangerous men while they’re just trying to have a good time partying in the desert.

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Pakzad, whose acting resume includes “Birds of Prey” and HBO’s “The Deuce,” was inspired to write and direct the project after reflecting on a terrifying experience she endured some years ago during a “wild girls trip” to Joshua Tree.

Ahead of the film’s world premiere at last year’s Fantasia Film Festival, Pakzad shared the backstory with Variety’s William Earl: throughout the trip, her crew dealt with “strange interactions with men,” but things escalated on the last night. When Pakzad and one of her friends left their Airbnb in the wee hours of the morning, a mystery man attempted to trap them in their cul-de-sac with his car, then pursued them down the freeway at 100 MPH.

“It was the most terrifying seven minutes of my life. But I just didn’t stop the car,” Pakzad said of their white-knuckle escape.

But putting that harrowing experience in context with the fact that she and her girls were recent college grads “stuck in these weird party rituals,” made great fodder for the story.

“This movie is about messy and complicated female friendships as much as it’s a commentary on this party, frat culture that raised them. I think it gives interesting context,” Pakzad explained. “I’m trying to bring my truth to this movie, and I’m pushing it to extremes. But it’s rooted in something I experienced.”

Following its debut at Fantasia, “Find Your Friends” traveled the film festival circuit, screening at the Toronto International Film Festival; Fantastic Fest, where it made its U.S. premiere; Stiges in Catalonia, Spain; and Torino in Italy.

In addition to CAA, Pakzad continues to be represented by Black Bear and Paula Woods Consultants.